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Legislation sponsored by Senator Joe Kyrillos (R-Monmouth) to finance up to $411 million for environmental infrastructure projects statewide has been signed into law by Governor Chris Christie. Nearly $60 million would fund local projects in Middletown and Union Beach.

The new law by Sen. Joe Kyrillos finances $411 million of environmental infrastructure projects, including nearly $60 million of improvements in Middletown and Union Beach. (Pixabay)

The measures, S-2292 and S-2293, fund 80 eligible projects through the New Jersey Environmental Infrastructure Trust, including those in the “Storm Sandy and State Fiscal Year 2017 Clean Water Project Priority List” and the “Storm Sandy and State Fiscal Year 2017 Drinking Water Project Priority List,” as well as six clean water and two drinking water environmental infrastructure projects.

“We’re ensuring that New Jersey’s wastewater, stormwater and drinking water systems are modernized and safe,” said Kyrillos. “Many of the local authorities that will receive funding through this legislation and the NJEIT would not otherwise have the resources to complete these critical projects.”

The NJEIT financing plan includes $39 million for a pair of projects at the Bayshore Regional Sewerage Authority facility in Union Beach, and $20.9 million for a project at the Middletown Sewerage Authority.

The Bayshore RSA projects (S340697-05 and S340697-06) include the restoration and mitigation of the existing Blower Buildings No. 1 and No. 2 at Bayshore’s water pollution control plant, as well as the permanent restoration and mitigation of the treatment plant’s power distribution system.

The Middletown SA project (S340097-04) includes improvements to electrical, emergency and resiliency systems to protect the wastewater treatment plant from future storm damage and provide emergency electrical power in event of a storm.

“We learned some hard lessons following Superstorm Sandy about the weaknesses of our local water infrastructure,” added Kyrillos. “The projects in Middletown and Union Beach are a critical component of our efforts to improve our facilities to make them more resilient against future storms.”